


Tunnels

by muscatmusic18



Series: October Prompts [18]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Artist Peggy, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-23 08:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8320702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muscatmusic18/pseuds/muscatmusic18
Summary: Peggy draws murals, and Daniel leaves comments on them. What happens when they meet?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Day 18! Also, shout out to my friend bandsandcats18, who came up with this fic idea for me because I am so completely fried.

Every Wednesday night, she would go to a tunnel under a bridge near her house and draw something in chalk along the walls, whether it be a mural or a quote or a simple little picture to make people smile. Then a few nights later, she would return and wash it off, waiting for the next Wednesday to draw something new.

For months, she did this. Why she didn’t know, but for some reason she found it soothing. Knowing that her art would make people smile for a few days, and then disappear was very humbling. Perhaps it was the fleetingness, a metaphor for life and everything, or perhaps it was just the joy of creating something new every week. Whatever the reason, Peggy continued to draw.

How loved her work was, she didn’t know, but one day when she came by to wash it off, there was an addition along the side of her mural. 

In chalk, someone had praised her, in just a few short words telling her how extraordinary and lovely the art was.

She traced the words in awe, not wanting to wash them away. Never had she been applauded for what she did, and she found herself holding the words and mysterious person close to her heart.

Soon she erased her creation, drawing her new one in just a few short strokes and colors. When she finished, she found herself staring at the spot where the words had been, and then she chalked a few of her own right where they had been; words of gratitude and thanks.

For weeks this went on, the mystery person and Peggy turning it into something of a game. They would leave a little drawing of their own next to her’s, or they would leave encouragement or they would would simply put a smile. And every week, Peggy would respond to theirs, leaving a continuation of their drawing or a question to ponder or a sketch of a face of someone laughing when she found one of their jokes funny.

Peggy somehow found a friendship with the words of the person. From what she could tell, they would get along very well, and she was soon wishing that she could meet the person.

As though someone had heard her wish, one night when she came to wash away the mural, she saw a man standing under the bridge, but she was too far away to see what he was doing.

Contrary to what people might think, in all her months of coming to the bride at night, she had never met anyone there, so finding someone else was a bit of a shock.

Creeping closer, she noticed two things about the man. The first was that her carried a cane, not currently using it, but the bottom looked worn, so there was a purpose for it. And secondly, she noticed he was looking at her drawing, a smile on his face as he took it all in.

A warm feeling spread across her chest, knowing that her artwork did bring people happiness. That was the point, after all. She wanted people to see her work and smile, or maybe even laugh. She wanted to put a smile on her face and let them have a better day.

She stopped, waiting just around the corner of the tunnel intending to let the man enjoy her work as long as he wanted, but when he pulled out a piece of chalk and walked to where she had left her quip for the mystery person and began to write, she spoke.

“You.” She blurted, stepping away from the wall, rags almost slipping from her hands as joy and surprise spread through her, not believing that her mystery person was here in front of her.

He jumped, almost dropping his chalk before turning to face her, a similar smile spreading across his face. “And you. I can't believe my luck. I've been wanting to meet you for awhile.”

“Same with me… is it really you? I mean, you've been the one leaving messages all this time?” She asked, still disbelieving in the sight in front of her.

“It's me. I left the first one, just wanting to tell you that I appreciated what you made, but then you responded, and I couldn't help but start up a conversation.”

“I'm glad you did. I loved coming down here before, but your messages gave an extra thrill of excitement when coming down to erase them.”

“Why exactly do you erase them? I mean, I love seeing your new murals, but why erase them long before you make a new one?” He asked, taking another step closer.

“I'm not really sure. It's just something I started early on, and it stuck with me.”

“I'm Daniel, by the way.”

“Peggy.”

They shook hands, a little quibble about chalk dust on his hand, but a gesture to her clothes and a raise of her eyebrows settled it. A short pause after that, Daniel spoke again.

“Would you like to go out sometime? I mean, I love meeting like this, but I would like to see you in the daylight sometime.”

She smiled, usually wary of going on a date with strangers, but she felt like she already knew him. “I would love to go. Monday at 7:00?”

“Sounds perfect. Give me your number and I'll text you the details.”

Exchanging numbers, he then shooed her back around the corner, claiming he had to finish his message. She rolled her eyes, but she went anyways, enlivened to read his comment now that she knew the man behind the chalk.

He limped around the corner, smiling at her. “It's all yours. I'll text you soon.” 

They exchanged farewells, and she practically sprinted over to see what he'd written.

‘See you Monday, Peggy.’

She smiled at his words, erasing her chalkwork and his words, and then drawing a simple picture of a happy couple, just sitting and laughing together.

She then wrote her response, mirroring his words in her response. 

‘See you then, Daniel.’


End file.
